11. When did the first Punic war begin? How long did it last? 12. What of the Carthaginians? What of Regulus? 13. What of the temple of Janus? How long had the doors been open? Why were they now closed? When was the temple of Janus open? When shut?

CHAP. LXXV.-EUROPE continued.

SECOND AND THIRD PUNIC WARS.

1. THE doors of the temple of Janus were soon flung wide open again; for a war broke out between the Romans and a tribe of Gauls. It ended in the conquest of the latter.

2. In the year 218 before the Christian era, another war with Carthage began. This was called the second Punic war. The Carthaginians were commanded by Hannibal, who proved himself one of the greatest generals that ever lived.

3. Hannibal transported his army across the Mediterranean Sea to Spain, and thence marched towards Italy. In his progress it was necessary that he should cross the Alps. The summits of these mountains are many thousand feet in height, and were covered with ice and snow; in some places Hannibal had to cut a passage through the solid rock.

4. After crossing these mountains, several battles were won by the Carthaginians. At length, the two Roman consuls, with a large army, encountered Hannibal and his soldiers at Cannæ. Here the Romans were defeated with dreadful slaughter. One of the consuls fled; the other

was slain, and seventy thousand men were left dead on the field.

5. Rome had now no army to protect it. If Hannibal had marched thither immediately, it is probable that he might have taken the city. But he delayed too long, and the Romans made preparations to defend themselves.

6. Hannibal never won such another victory as that at Cannæ, for the Romans soon enlisted new armies, and fought more successfully than before. Scipio, their best general, sailed over to Africa, in order to attack Carthage. Hannibal immediately followed him.

7. A battle was fought between him and Scipio at Zama. The Carthaginians had a multitude of elephants. These animals were wounded by the Roman darts, and the pain made them rush through the field, trampling down whole ranks of Hannibal's army.

8. The Carthaginians were entirely defeated, and Hannibal himself barely escaped amid the route and confusion. This battle put an end to the second Punic war.

9. But a third war between Rome and Carthage broke out in about fifty years. The Romans were commanded by another Scipio, who was as valiant as his namesake; but the Carthaginians had no longer a Hannibal.

10. This third Punic war ended in the destruction of Carthage. The city was set on fire, and continued to burn during seventeen days. Many of the citizens threw them

selves into the flames, and perished. This happened in the year 147 before the Christian era.

11. Scipio returned to Rome, and was rewarded with a triumph. As this was the highest honour that a Roman general could attain, and as such triumphs were often given to successful commanders, I well tell my readers, in the next chapter, what Scipio's triumph was.

QUESTIONS.-1. What war now broke out? Which side was victorious? 2. When did the second Punic war begin? Who led the Carthaginians? 3. What did Hannibal do? How did his army cross the Alps? 4 Describe the battle of Cannæ. 5. What of Rome at this time? 6. What of Scipio? Who followed him? 7. Where was a battle fought? What of elephants? 8. Which side was defeated? What of Hannibal? Who led the Romans in the third Punic war? What of the Carthaginians? 10. When was Carthage burnt? 11. How was Scipio rewarded?

CHAP. LXXVI.-EUROPE, continued.

SCIPIO'S TRIUMPH.

1. SCIPIO, on his return from Carthage, stopped at the Campus Martius, which was a plain on the outside of Rome. From thence he was escorted into the city by a grand procession.

2. First came a band of musicians, playing their loudest strains on all sorts of instruments. Then followed a drove of oxen, which were to be sacrificed in the temples of the gods.

Their horns were gilded, and garlands were wreathed around their heads.

3. Next came a train of cars, heavily laden with the rich spoils that had been taken at Carthage. There were gold and silver in abundance, and statues, pictures, and magnificent garments. The brilliant armour of the vanquished army was likewise piled upon the cars.

4. Then were seen some elephants, treading along like moving hills. These huge animals were trained to war, and were able to carry a whole company of soldiers on their backs.

5. Next appeared a melancholy troop of the vanquished Carthaginians. Their chains clanked as they walked heavily onward. Among them were all the principal men of Carthage, and they drooped their heads in shame and sorrow, regretting that they had not perished in the flames of their city.

6. Behind the sad troop came another loud band of music, drowning the groans of the captives with the uproar of a hundred instruments. There were likewise dancers, whose garb made them appear like monsters, neither beasts nor men. These wore crowns of gold.

7. Then came a splendid chariot, adorned with ivory, and drawn by four white horses abreast. In this chariot stood the triumphant Scipio, dressed in a purple robe, which was covered with gold embroidery. His face was painted with vermillion, and he had a crown of laurel on his head.

8. A golden ball hung at his breast; and in his right hand he held an ivory sceptre, with a golden eagle at the top. But in the same chariot stood a slave, who kept whispering to Scipio, "Remember that thou art but a man ;" and these words seemed to sadden Scipio's triumph.

9. Around the chariot was a great throng of Scipio's relatives, and other citizens, all clothed in white. Next came the consuls and all the members of the Roman senate, in their robes of ceremony.

10. Last in the procession marched the victorious army. Their helmets were wreathed with laurel. The standardbearers carried eagles of gold and silver, instead of banners. As they moved onward, they sang hymns in praise of Scipio's valour, and all the Roman citizens joined their voices in the chorus. In this manner the procession passed through the streets of Rome, and entered the doors of the capital.

QUESTIONS.-1. Where was the Campus Martius? What of the procession? 2. What came first? What was done with the oxen? 3. With what were the cars laden? 4. What of elephants? 5. Describe the appearance of the captive Carthaginians. In what battle were they taken prisoners? 6. What of musicians and dancers? 7. How did Scipio appear? What did the slave whisper in his ear? What was the effect of what he said? 9. What followed the chariot? 10. Describe the victorious army. Where did the procession stop?